United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger has announced Chadwick Grubbs, 33 was sentenced today by United States District Judge Pamela Pepper to 36 months in prison for charges related to threatening letters he wrote on three separate dates in May 2018 to the Harry and Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center (JCC) in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin. Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Matthew D. Krueger for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Michelle Sutphin of the FBI’s Milwaukee Division made the announcement.

“All people have the right to practice their religious beliefs without fear of threats or violence,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband. “Mr. Grubbs’ anti-Semitic actions have no place in our society today and the Department of Justice will continue to prosecute anyone who threatens to harm a community because of their faith.”

“The Department of Justice’s commitment to civil rights includes protecting faith communities from threats of violence,” said United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. “This prosecution should send a clear message that hate crimes like Mr. Grubb’s vile threats will not be tolerated.”

“It is every American’s right to exercise the religion of their choice. The FBI will vigorously pursue those who target faith based communities with threats of violence and intimidation, violators will face justice,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Michelle Sutphin of the FBI’s Milwaukee Division.

Grubbs pleaded guilty in November 2018 to two counts of mailing threatening communications and one count of threatening to injure and destroy property by fire and an explosive.  Information presented during the plea hearing established that Grubbs sent three letters to the JCC in which he threatened to use firearms to cause “maximum carnage” and explosives to destroy the JCC.  Grubbs used numbers and symbols associated with white supremacist ideology in the letters.

The FBI led the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Gregory Haanstad of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin and Trial Attorney Kathryn Gilbert of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division prosecuted this case.

For more information about the Department of Justice’s work to combat and prevent hate crimes, visit www.justice.gov/hatecrimes: a one-stop portal with links to hate crimes resources for law enforcement, media, researchers, victims, advocacy groups, and other organizations and individuals.

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WASHINGTON – Chadwick Grubbs, who is currently in state custody on separate cases, pleaded guilty today to federal charges related to threatening letters he wrote on three separate dates in May to the Harry and Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center (JCC) in Whitefish Bay. Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Matthew D. Krueger for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and Special Agent-in-Charge Justin Tolomeo of the FBI’s Milwaukee Division made the announcement.

Grubbs, 33, pleaded guilty to two counts of mailing threatening communications and one count of threatening to injure and destroy property by fire and an explosive.  Information presented during the plea hearing established that Grubbs sent three letters to the JCC in which he threatened to use firearms to cause “maximum carnage” and threatened to use explosives to destroy the JCC.  In his letters, Grubbs used numbers and symbols associated with white supremacist ideology.

“Mr. Grubbs’ violent threats against the Whitefish Bay Jewish community attempted to undermine the safety and security of all community members,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband. “The Justice Department will continue to prosecute these cases vigorously so that all people, no matter their religious beliefs, can live their lives freely and without fear.”

“The freedom of religion is among our most cherished rights,” said U.S. Attorney Krueger. “No one should be afraid to exercise his or her religious beliefs in this country. The Department of Justice is committed to prosecuting anyone who threatens harm to someone because of their faith.” 

“Protecting civil rights is one of the highest priorities of the FBI,” said SAC Justin Tolomeo. “We will vigorously investigate those who seek to intimidate with threats of violence motivated on bias against race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity, and bring them to justice.”

Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker released a statement on the FBI’s 2017 Hate Crimes Statistics report, published this morning. The Acting Attorney General’s full statement reflects on the troubling increase in anti-Semitic religious hate crimes in 2017, outlined in the report.

Last month, the Justice Department launched a new comprehensive hate crimes website designed to provide a centralized portal for the Department’s hate crimes resources for law enforcement, media, researchers, victims, advocacy groups, and other related organizations and individuals.  More information on the website and an update on Justice Department hate crimes prosecutions can be found here.

Grubbs faces a maximum statutory penalty of ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the explosives threat charge and a penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each of the mailed threats charges.

The FBI is leading the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Gregory Haanstad of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin and Trial Attorney Kathryn Gilbert of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting this case.

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